Handheld LiDAR data capture techniques in construction phase support

As digital principles are adopted throughout the civil engineering and construction industries, the digital revolution has seen significant variability in the actual practice. In mega-projects, Joint Venture Teams consisting of Tier 1 contractors and multi-disciplinary design houses are working in a BIM environment and using Federated Models of the project, from concept through design to construction. However, in more traditional delivery models, the design and construction teams are at arm’s length, separated by time and space, and frequently with all communication through the client and/or contract administrator. The result is, predictably, a lack of effective data sharing. Communication is through formal reports, drawings, and eventually, requests for information (RFI). The design models (if shared at all) are typically not the full BIM model and shared with only a few in the construction team; typically, the surveyors and GPS enabled plant.

The digital revolution has seen a significant increase in the capabilities of data capturing equipment, visualisation tools and software with a number of tools becoming widely available. As a result, there are several paths that can be taken (e.g., choosing one brand over another may result in a long-term commitment to that brand or data configuration). The general result is that companies with deep pockets and a willingness to embrace the new technologies are jumping ahead in adopting digital. However, time will tell if they choose the right path while more cautious companies, happy to continue with their traditional technology and workflows, will fall further behind. Most of the industry is somewhere between these extremes; however, the gap between them is growing.

This paper considers the growing gap between traditional and digital paths with respect to data capture in the field as it applies to digital geotechnics in a construction phase support (CPS) role. While traditional workflows have their place in the future, it is important to explore the use of digital workflows to enhance the quantity and quality of the data captured, the ability to share the site observations with colleagues and stakeholders, and to have data interoperable with other software to allow further integration and analysis of the data. This paper also noted that both traditional and digital workflows have limitations which must be acknowledged, and where possible measured, to allow the proper interpretation of the data captured.